How long do you expect to be working before you take leave???

I have a very demanding job, i am on my feet all day and working with patients in a healthcare setting. I am just wondering what is the typical time to start maternity leave. I obviously want to stay at work as long as i can this way i have more time with the baby once he/she is born.....but i am just wondering what is typical.

when do you expect to stop working and how physically demanding is your job?

Message edited 3/17/2009 7:40:19 PM.

Re: How long do you expect to be working before you take leave???

God willing...i plan on working up until the day i give birth. my co-workers joke around that they'll be the ones to drive me to the hospital instead of DH.

i only get 8 weeks so i want to make sure i spend ALL of that time with the baby instead of staying at home waiting for him/her to arrive.

Message edited 3/17/2009 7:38:46 PM.

Re: How long do you expect to be working before you take leave???

I'm an RN on a very busy cardiac floor. My intention is to work until the very end (i have visions of being at work, going into labor, and walking upstairs to deliver ). That's my goal, but to predict at 20 weeks how i'll feel at 38 weeks is nearly impossible, IMO. So, I'm just going to go along with the idea that i'll work until the very end, but if my Dr says that my or the baby's health is in jeopardy in any way, then i'll stop as soon as he says the word.

Re: How long do you expect to be working before you take leave???

I'm a teacher & hope to work as long as possible to. I'm going to work up until my 39th week, when I'm sked for my CS (unless things change between now & then, I'm at 32 wks now).

Re: How long do you expect to be working before you take leave???

is "until the head pops out" an option?

I know myself, and I'll NEED to be kept busy! I dont have a strenuous job - I spend the majority of the day at my desk. The most difficult part of me working is the 30 minute drive.

Re: How long do you expect to be working before you take leave???

I have an office job, sit at a desk most of the day, so I plan to work as long as I can....but ideally I would love at least a week before I deliver just to prepare...plus I am due in mid August so who knows at that point how I will be feeling in 90 degree humidity...but I will stay as long as I can unless the doc says no more work or the baby is ready to come.

Re: How long do you expect to be working before you take leave???

As long as I could go. I would like to work up until the week before.

Re: How long do you expect to be working before you take leave???

as much as i don't want to work anymore, i kind of have to, so i'm planning on going to the end. i'm a teacher on the 3rd floor (4th, if you count the basement where the cafeteria/gym is) and am CONSTANTLY running up and down the stairs as i have to walk my kids to and from each class and run errands on my preps. i also walk about 1.5 miles to work and attend grad school in manhattan (i'm in brooklyn so i walk and take the subway there) 2x a week. i may cut out the walking to work towards the end (though i'd rather not since walking is supposed to be good and there really isn't a better/more efficient option for me), but everything else will probably remain the same out of necessity.

Re: How long do you expect to be working before you take leave???

Im due mid Nov. Im a teacher and hope to work til the last moment bc im taking the rest of the yr off

Re: How long do you expect to be working before you take leave???

I give u credit, reading about all ur walking made me tired

Re: How long do you expect to be working before you take leave???

I was not planning on taking any time off beforehand, but this week at 27 weeks is the first time walking/commuting is getting hard. Now I am thinking maybe a week or two before EDD.

Re: How long do you expect to be working before you take leave???

I too am in a demanding position and on my feet and even bending, but I was good to go until my company told me in order to get my full benefits I had to stop working 7 days before I had the baby. B/c I get induced it was easier for me to know when that is. Everything was fine as far as working till the end with DD. I took an extra week non-paid vacation at the end so that I still had my full 12 weeks home with DD.

Assuming all goes well, I will work up till 7 biz days prior to my c-section this time. However, every pregnancy is different, if there is a cause for me to stop sooner I will. I will do unpaid vacation again (unless I have some vaca days available this time) so as to have the full 12 weeks.

Re: How long do you expect to be working before you take leave???

Posted by Shorty

is "until the head pops out" an option?

I know myself, and I'll NEED to be kept busy! I dont have a strenuous job - I spend the majority of the day at my desk. The most difficult part of me working is the 30 minute drive.

Re: How long do you expect to be working before you take leave???

I teach dance to children, so it's pretty demanding- sometimes more on my patienece then anything else. I taught classes until the day before my induction, which was 6 days PAST my due date.
But in fairness, there is no way to know how you'll feel as your due date approaches. Just play it by ear and when you feel that it's just too demanding, start your leave.
To be honest, if I didn't own my own business it would have been nice to have a week or so off before delivering just to relax, but physically it wasn't neccessary. I also returned to work after 3 weeks.

Re: How long do you expect to be working before you take leave???

I am going to try to stay as long as possible. I am a teacher and I am going to play it by ear and see how I am feeling and how the weather is towards the end. If I am too uncomfortalbe, I will leave early. I was thinking I would work until the week before my due date. But we shall see.

Re: How long do you expect to be working before you take leave???

I am going to work as long as possible. I am a little scared because I work nights in Manhattan and drive in. I would hate to start to have labor pains during my drive in or back!

I have a non stressful job and I am not on my feet. I would love to work until the day I go into labor!

Re: How long do you expect to be working before you take leave???

I have an office job & sit mostly at a desk and truly is not strenous or stressful. Ideally I will be working up until I go into labor as I am only getting 6 weeks home but trying to work out another 6 weeks with my boss where I work from home...Since I am due the end of August & our AC doesn't work the best in the office, it will all depend on my comfort level but even if I go out, I will work from home to keep my pay & time off for when the baby is home..

Re: How long do you expect to be working before you take leave???

I'm a teacher but I'm due about 2 weeks after school lets out. So I plan on going right to the end. I'll be huge at graduation, but I don't care!

Re: How long do you expect to be working before you take leave???

Re: How long do you expect to be working before you take leave???

My job can be physically demanding at times, but I've started delegating most of that work now since I'm the boss

It looks like I'm only going to be able to take 9w off, so I'll be working up until the last possible minute...

Re: How long do you expect to be working before you take leave???

My job is somewhat demanding at times. I am 37 weeks and trying to stay until the very end. I'm almost there, but I have to say its getting really tiring. However, I want to stick it out as long as I possibly can so I can use all my time with my .

Re: How long do you expect to be working before you take leave???

with my job, I get 2 weeks off prior to delivery (my last day of work will be 8/25) and then 12 weeks after (2 of those I will take unpaid) but the rest are paid

Re: How long do you expect to be working before you take leave???

Posted by Shorty

is "until the head pops out" an option?

I know myself, and I'll NEED to be kept busy! I dont have a strenuous job - I spend the majority of the day at my desk. The most difficult part of me working is the 30 minute drive.

Re: How long do you expect to be working before you take leave???

I am due Monday and I am still here--however i could use a day to relax

Re: How long do you expect to be working before you take leave???

I plan on working till the end, but who knows how I will feel traveling in July on the subway. I guess we will see.